Morrigan
The only colony funded entirely by the UCN, Morrigan is the colony most resembling Earth. With modern cities and developed infrastructure, the planet has the largest population in the Colonial Sphere and maintains a position as the central hub for the politics of the ICSA. General Information Population: 900,000,000 Demonym: Morrigan 'Major Cities: 'New Glasgow, Baltimore, York History Settlement Morrigan was established in 2130 as the major centre for the UN's colonial project. Funded by the wealthiest governments in the UN, Morrigan received the bulk of funding and a substantial headstart on the other colonies. Several settlements were established, eventually growing into sizeable cities in their own right. Urban centres were developed quickly, allowing rapid population growth. UCN Rule The backing of the UCN, and the subsequent governance this brought, enabled Morrigan to grow much more rapidly than the corporate run colonies. This growth, however, forced the UCN to watch the burgeoning population more closely. A large UCN, and subsequently UCA in 2149, presence was maintained on the planet to keep order. What had originally been the fastest growing colony quickly stumbled, as people tried to avoid the increasingly strict governance of the UCN. In response to this, a large subculture of civil disobedience established itself in the cities, especially amongst youth born on the planet. Small-scale riots and protest grew from this, which was quickly punished by smothering the movements with UCA police forces in the 2150s. Nonetheless, these subcultures remained prevalent amongst the youth of the colony, forced underground for survival. UCN Crackdown The UCN Crackdown in 2168 marked the eventual outcome many on Morrigan had foreseen and been experiencing for years. The transition on the planet was thusly relatively swift, with more enforcement of policing and general policies. Though Morrigan didn't experienced the same level of exploitation other colonies saw, the ramping up of domestic policies brought civil disobedience back to the forefront of conscious thought. Colonial Civil War During the Agronnach Rebellion, several groups on Morrigan tried to rebel alongside their brothers. UCA response on the planet managed to keep these small uprisings isolated from one another, however, so the rebels were forced to wait for Agronnach assistance to be rid of their UCN shackles. They did not have to wait long. Morrigan found itself as the first front in the Agronnach rebellion, with the rebels landing massive amounts of troops on the planet after the Battle of Taranis. Fighting on Morrigan itself was pushed mostly out of the cities, being fought in the surrounding settlements of the planet. The fighting lasted two years, with an Agronnach victory marking Morrigans emancipation from UCN rule and the planet joining the rebel forces. Recovery As the fighting in the large urban centres was rather limited, much of the rebuilding for the colony was done in the outskirts and the surrounding townships. Due to the fighting, many refugees found themselves forced into the cities, changing the social landscape and causing damage to the agricultural and manufacturing industries. This process was never fully reversed, and Morrigan remains a cosmopolitan urban colony more than anything else. Geography Surveyed as the planet most resembling Earth among the stars, the planet of Morrigan is otherwise unremarkable. A strong atmosphere and a diverse ecology are the most notable aspects of the planet. Large tracts of ocean cover the planet, with a few continents breaking up the seas. The cities on Morrigan benefitted from the focused growth of the colony's settlement, resembling the more established cities of Earth both in size and scope. Culture Built by the combined might of most governments in the UCN, Morrigan functions much like Earth did prior to colonialism. An establishment of urban centres and the logistics to support them has placed much of the populations within cities, creating a largely urbanized culture accustomed to a high standard of living. Constantly fed by the resources of the other colonies, much as Earth was under UCN rule, the people of Morrigan tend to see themselves as the centres of the Colonial Sphere. Domestically, the huge population is drastically diverse, and thus difficult to categorize. Government By far the most democratic of the colonies, Morrigan operates under a global senate of sorts, sitting above regional parliaments and municipal councils. Despite, or perhaps because of, the vast array of democratic positions, the average Morrigan has little faith in the system. Alleged widespread corruption combined with a general apathy has given the politicians a lack of responsibility, which has in turn degraded the system further. Nonetheless, it remains the only representative democracy in the Colonial Sphere.